Hydrangea plant named ‘Kompeito’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Hydrangea macrophylla  named ‘Kompeito’ that is characterized by its re-blooming habit with inflorescences produced from early summer until fall with removal of spent blooms, its consistently well formed, large sized, lacecap type inflorescences with a mass of fertile flowers surrounded by large double flowers on long petioles and smaller double flowers with sepals having white margins and centers that are blue to pink in color depending on soil acidity and aluminum uptake, its compact growth habit, and its hardiness at least in U.S.D.A. Zones 5 to 9.

Botanical classification: Hydrangea macrophylla.

Varietal denomination: ‘Kompeito’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHydrangea macrophylla and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivarname, ‘Kompeito’. ‘Kompeito’ represents a new bigleaf hydrangea, adeciduous shrub grown for landscape use and for use as a potted plant.

‘Kompeito’ was derived from an ongoing controlled breeding program thatfocuses on developing new cultivars of Hydrangea for landscape andcontainer use. ‘Kompeito’ originated from a cross made in the Inventor'snursery in June 1999 in Shizuoka, Japan between two unpatentedproprietary selections of Hydrangea macrophylla; the female parentdesignated as H3-133 and the male parent designated as H1-101. The newHydrangea was selected as a unique single plant from the progeny of thecross in February 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by theInventor using softwood stem cuttings in Shizuoka, Japan in May 2007.The characteristics of this cultivar have been determined to be stableand are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘Kompeito’ as a unique cultivar of Hydrangea macrophylla.

-   -   1. ‘Kompeito’ exhibits a re-blooming habit with inflorescences        produced from early summer until fall with removal of spent        blooms.    -   2. ‘Kompeito’ has consistently well formed, large sized, lacecap        type inflorescences with large double sterile flowers        surrounding a mass of fertile flowers and some smaller double        sterile flowers.    -   3. ‘Kompeito’ exhibits sterile flowers with sepals having white        margins and centers that are blue to pink in color depending on        soil acidity and aluminum uptake.    -   4. ‘Kompeito’ exhibits a compact plant habit.    -   5. ‘Kompeito’ is hardy at least to U.S.D.A. Zones 5 to 9.

‘Kompeito’ differs from its female parent, H3-133, in having doublesterile flowers whereas H3-133 exhibits single sterile flowers.‘Kompeito’ differs from its male parent, H1-101, in having sterileflowers with sepals that have white margins, whereas H1-101 exhibitssterile flowers with sepals that are uniformly light purple in color andlack white margins.

‘Kompeito’ can also be compared to ‘Jogasaki’ (not patented), a cultivarwith similar inflorescence form and color, however the sepals of thesterile flowers of ‘Jogasaki’ lack white margins.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the overall appearance anddistinct characteristics of the new Hydrangea.

The photograph in FIG. 1 was taken of a three year-old plant of‘Kompeito’ as grown outdoors in a three-gallon container in Shizuoka,Japan and illustrates the foliage coloration and inflorescencecoloration when grown under acidic soil conditions with sufficientaluminum uptake.

The photograph in FIG. 2 was taken of stems taken from a three year-oldplant of ‘Kompeito’ as grown outdoors in three-gallon container inShizuoka, Japan and illustrates the inflorescence coloration when grownunder alkaline soil conditions. The colors in the photographs may differslightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanicaldescription, which accurately describe the colors of the new Hydrangea.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of a three year-old plants of‘Kompeito’ as grown outdoors in three-gallon container in Shizuoka,Japan. The detailed sterile sepal color data was taken from plantsgrowing both under acidic conditions and alkaline conditions wheredifferences exist. Phenotypic differences may be observed withvariations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions. Thecolor determination is in accordance with the 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chartof The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except wheregeneral color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—Reblooming from June until frost from with            removal of spent blooms in Shizuoka, Japan.        -   Plant habit.—Broadly upright, compact, deciduous shrub.        -   Height and spread.—Reaches about 60 cm in height and width            on three-year-old plants in a 3-gallon container.        -   Hardiness.—At least to U.S.D.A. Zones 5 to 9.        -   Diseases resistance.—No susceptibility or resistance to            diseases known to effect H. macrophylla has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.-   Growth and propagation:    -   -   Propagation.—Softwood stem cuttings.        -   Growth rate and vigor.—Moderate.-   Stem description:    -   -   Stem shape.—Round, solid.        -   Stem strength.—Strong.        -   Stem color.—New growth; 144A with lenticels 200A, bark;            N199B to 199C.        -   Stem size.—An average of 20 cm (to base of inflorescence),            average of 7 mm in width.        -   Stem surface.—Glabrous, satiny and very sparsely covered            with long lenticels; about 2 per square cm and an average of            3.5 mm in length and 0.7 mm diameter, stem becomes bark-like            with age.        -   Branching.—A single dormant stem will produce an average of            4 lateral branches, sublateral branching is determined by            pinching; 2 stems develop per pinched node.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Elliptic to broadly elliptic.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf number.—Average of 12 (6 pairs) per lateral branch 17            cm in length.        -   Leaf base.—Cuneate.        -   Leaf apex.—Cuspidate.        -   Leaf margins.—Crenated with tiny point at each apex, average            of 17 per side on a mature leaf 17 cm in length.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, recessed on upper surface, color            145B to 145C on upper surface and 145C to 147D on lower            surface.        -   Leaf size.—Up to 17 cm in length and 12.5 cm in width.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Leaf surface.—Glabrous and satiny on upper surface, glabrous            and finely puberulent on lower surface.        -   Leaf color.—Upper surface; between 147A and N137A, lower            surface; 138B with puberulent coating of 147D.        -   Petioles.—Average of 1.8 cm in length and 5 mm in width,            144A to 144B in color, glabrous surface, sulcate on upper            surface.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal compound corymb, lacecap type,            comprised of a mass of fertile (pistillate) flowers in the            center and larger double sterile flowers on long nodding            pedicels surrounding the border with some smaller double            sterile flowers emerging from pistillate flowers.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—Persistent but color is            retained for about 4 weeks.        -   Inflorescence number.—One per lateral or sublateral stem if            pinched.        -   Inflorescence size.—Average of 9 cm in depth and 20 cm in            diameter when fully open.        -   Flower number.—Average of 8 double sterile flowers on            perimeter, average of 200 small pistillate flowers.        -   Flower fragrance.—None.        -   Flower form.—Large double flowers are rotate and spreading,            small double flowers are open campanulate to spreading and            pistillate flowers are campanulate.        -   Inflorescence aspect.—Flattened globose in shape with            nodding flowers on perimeter.        -   Flower size.—Smaller double flowers; average of 1.8 cm in            diameter and 4 mm in depth, larger double flowers; average            of 4.5 cm in diameter and 1 cm in depth, pistillate flowers;            average of 4 mm in diameter and 5 cm in depth.        -   Flower buds.—Large double flowers; average of 1 cm in length            and 4 mm in width, oval in shape, 145C in color, smaller            double flowers; average of 4 cm in length and 3 mm in width,            oval in shape, 145C in color in color, pistillate flowers;            average of 2 mm in width and diameter, globose in shape,            145A in color.        -   Peduncles.—Strong, average of 1.8 cm in length to base of            corymb and 3 mm in width, 147C in color, covered with very            short hairs.        -   Pedicels.—Sterile flowers; average of 2.8 cm in length and 2            mm in width, 75C in color, hairy surface, small double            flowers; average of 6 mm in length and 2 mm in width, NN155B            to 75D in color, hairy surface, pistillate flowers; average            of 2 mm in length and 1 mm in width, and 145D in color,            hairy surface.        -   Petals.—4, present on pistillate flowers only, rotate in            arrangement, elliptic in shape, entire margin, rounded to            acute apex, truncate base, most typically an average of 5 mm            in length and 4 mm in width, surface is glabrous and dull on            both surfaces, color of upper and lower surface is a blend            of 76B and 75B and 145D.        -   Sepals (pistillate flowers).—An average of 4, obovate to            oblong in shape, entire margin, rounded apex, truncate base,            average of 2 mm in length and 1.2 mm in width, surface is            hairy on both surfaces, color of upper and lower surface is            145C.        -   Sepals (sterile flowers).—Large double flowers (alkaline            conditions); an average of 14, elliptic to ovate in shape,            range from 8 mm to 2.5 cm in length and 5 mm to 2 cm in            width (larger sepals in outer whorl), broadly acute apex,            cuneate base, glabrous surface on upper and lower surface,            entire margins, color of both surfaces; NN155A, changes to            centers of 75B with margins NN155A, become speckled with            145B to 145C as they age with outside whorl changing first,            smaller center double flowers (alkaline conditions); average            of 9, elliptic to ovate in shape, range from 4 mm to 1 cm in            length and 3 mm to 8 mm in width (larger sepals in outer            whorl), broadly acute apex, cuneate base, glabrous surface            on upper and lower surface, entire margins, color of both            surfaces; open NN155A flushed with 145D, becomes marked and            flushed with 75A to 75B, particularly near centers but less            distinct then the larger flowers, becomes flushed with 145B            to 145C as they age, under acidic conditions (small and            large double flowers, both surfaces); color opens NN155A,            changing to a blend of 75A to 75B and 97A and 97B with the            blue coloration (97A to 97B) almost solid on the inner            sepals.        -   Eye (double flowers).—Alkaline conditions; ranges from 145C            to NN 155A to 75A to 75C, acidic conditions; 97A to 97B.-   Reproductive organs: (Pistillate flowers)    -   -   Stamens.—None observed, astemonous with an occasional            petaloid stamen.        -   Pistil.—1, average of 3 mm in length and 2 mm in width,            typically 4 stigma/styles, stigma is club-shaped, 76C to 84B            in color and 1 mm in diameter, style is an average of 2 mm            in length and blend of 84B and 145D in color, ovary is half            inferior and about 145D in color.        -   Fruit and seed.—Has not been observed under the conditions            tested to date.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant named ‘Kompeito’substantially as herein illustrated and described.